Engineered materials enjoy widespread popularity for the production of formed articles. Typically, these materials comprise one or more polymers and other materials which exhibit specific properties, i.e., toughness, flexibility, chemical resistance, long-term stability, dielectric strength, etc. Frequently, materials which exhibit particular features such as those listed are used as constituents in formulations of so-called "polymer blends" which comprise a polymer and one or more constituent materials, such as an additional polymer or a non-polymeric material. Frequently, the purpose of the addition of such non-polymeric materials is to enhance the properties of the polymers, by acting as a "compatibilizer" and thus improve the adhesive properties of a polymer with a second "incompatible" polymer, or to impart other specific properties, such as increased toughness, elevated melting temperature, improved product clarity, abrasion resistance, chemical resistance, etc. Unfortunately, as is well known to the art, the formation of blended polymeric materials which feature all of the desirable characteristics of the constituents making up its formulation without simultaneously suffering some detrimental quality are rarely attained.
Exemplary polymeric materials which exhibit satisfactory physical characteristics and good processability include the compositions described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,174,358 for "Tough Thermoplastic Nylon Compositions" to Epstein, which discloses compositions which comprise a polyamide matrix and a second polymer which exhibits good impact toughness; U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,324 for "Thermoplastic Molding Compositions Based On Polycarbonates, Polyesters and Polyamides" to Lausberg et.al. for thermoplastic molding compositions having favorable impact properties; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,160,790 of Mason, et.al. for "High Impact Nylon Molding Compositions" which discloses compositions comprising nylon-6 and nylon-6,6 which feature improved toughness.
Such materials provided in the prior art provide satisfactory solutions to many specific problems, problems which affect not only the considerations attendant upon the final product formed from a molding material, but also the problems peculiar to the production of articles from the material, including handling and processing. One important aspect of any production process is the time required to form each article, which is strongly dependent upon the characteristics of the particular composition being used. While materials known to the art provide satisfactory operating and performance characteristics suitable to many applications, the mere plurality of these available compositions demonstrates not only their great utility, but also the continuing need to provide new materials exhibiting yet further improved characteristics.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide new compositions of polymeric materials comprising Nylon-6 which feature excellent physical characteristics, and superior processing features.